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US CBP deploys biometric exit technology at Chicago International

The US Customers and Border Protection (CBP) has deployed facial recognition biometric exit technology to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) for a selection of flights.

Using the flight manifest, CBP builds a flight specific photo gallery using images from the provided travel document. It then compares the live photo against the document photo in the gallery to ensure the traveler is the true bearer of the document.

John Wagner, deputy executive assistant commissioner for the office of field operations at the CBP, said, “Through our consultations with the airlines and airport stakeholders, and based on the success of several pilots, CBP determined that facial recognition was a viable exit solution.

“With the expansion of this technology we will be looking at different flights, airports, lighting conditions, and internal IT configurations to demonstrate to our stakeholders that this solution is flexible, reliable and easy for travelers to use.”

The deployment follows the June 2016 pilot at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia, USA, that uses facial recognition. CBP also recently deployed the technology to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, with future installations planned for additional airports this summer.

Delta and JetBlue also recently announced collaborations with CBP to integrate facial recognition technology as part of the boarding process. Delta is testing eGates at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York state, and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and JetBlue is testing facial recognition technology at Boston Logan International Airport in Massachusetts that allows passengers to self-board without scanning a boarding pass.